?Chapter 473:


    As Brian drew nearer, the space between them—neither too distant nor too intimate—felt charged. His voice, crisp and distinct despite the rain, broke the silence.


    Silence. “Rachel, whose umbre will you choose?” His words were straightforward, leaving no room for ambiguity.


    Rachel nced briefly at Brian before turning back to Andres. “Thank you, Mr. Garrett, for offering to take me home. I’m grateful,” she said, her tone polite but firm.


    “It’s perfectly fine. Stick close; the umbre’s small,” Andres replied, adjusting it to shield them both more effectively.


    With a subtle shift, Rachel moved nearer to him, the rain falling steadily around them as they prepared to walk away.


    Brian watched the scene unfold, his expression unreadable. A bitter, humorlessugh escaped him. Without a word, he let go of his umbre, allowing it to fall to the wet ground. There was no hesitation, no lingering look—just a decisive turn as he walked away, his figure swallowed by the rain.


    Rachel’s lips twitched into a faint, bitter smile.


    “Let’s move on,” Andres suggested gently.


    “Sure,” Rachel replied, her tone quiet but steady.


    They walked in silence for a few minutes, approaching Brian’s car. Suddenly, Rachel halted, her steps faltering.


    “My car is just up ahead,” Andres noted, slightly confused by her sudden stop.


    Rachel clutched his arm, her voice urgent. “Wait, let them go first.”


    Though baffled, he nodded, sensing her distress.


    At that moment, Rachel was overwhelmed by a sharp, engulfing pain. The rain had seeped through her clothes, aggravating her back injury. She could feel fresh blood trickling down, the wounds reopened by their hurried walk.


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    Passing by Brian’s car now would surely reveal her vulnerable state—an oue she desperately wanted to avoid. To her, disying her agony for pity was pointless and undignified.


    Inside the car, Brian sat motionless behind the steering wheel, his gaze fixed nkly ahead. Tracy, who had been waiting quietly beside him, sensed his unease. Ronald had already left due to othermitments. Now, it was Brian who would drive her back.


    “Brian, are you perhaps waiting for Rachel? She might be upset. Should I go talk to her?” Tracy ventured, her voiceced with concern.


    She recalled Brian’s furious demeanor when he had returned earlier, his features shadowed with a rage more intense than she had ever witnessed. As she spoke, her hand moved tentatively toward the door handle.


    In the rearview mirror, Brian’s eyes caught sight of Andres and Rachel standing close under a shared umbre. Just then, Andres drew Rachel in, his arm wrapping protectively around her shoulders.


    Brian’s response was terse and icy. “There’s no need.”


    Without another word, Brian pressed the elerator, and the car roared to life, speeding into the night and disappearing within moments.


    Minutester, Rachel found herself inside Andres’s car, swathed in the damp warmth of her rain-soaked jacket. Despite the difort, she clung to the jacket, concealing the injury beneath.


    Andres nced at her, concern creasing his brow. “Your jacket’s quite wet. It’d be wise to remove it before you catch a chill.”


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